Fortes fortuna adjuvat
by OneMoreLight
Summary: A mysterious ship, appeared in the Caribbean Sea, promises dangerous and life-threatening adventures to anyone who sails the sea. Jack Sparrow, the Turners and even the British Navy will be involved it it. What awaits them in the future? (after DMTNT)
1. Chapter 1

"I see a ship, sir!" screamed a young sailor, lowering a spyglass. The old captain jumped up and shook his head.

"What is the ship?" he asked the guy.

"To my mind, it is strange... Look, sir."

The captain reluctantly ascended the stern, took the spyglass, and peered at the unclear outlines of the ship in the distance. Suddenly, his arms shuddered. The spyglass fell down. The scared sailor stared at the captain.

"The _Rosario_!" the old man only could whisper. The wind inflated the sails of the ship sharply and so it floated away quickly from the mysterious ship, swinging on the waves on the horizon. But the _Rosario_ seemed to sail faster than the wind. Its outline was silhouetted clearly against the purple sunset. The vessel came closer.

The captain gave the orders to sail away from the ship nervously and impatiently. The mad crew was running on the deck. The old man looked back constantly; the distance between the ships was shrinking. The tone of his bass voice became more alarming when he turned to hasten bunglers in the crew. A minute later, he glanced back again. The huge dark shadow of sailing ship was pointed directly over the stern of his vessel. The bowsprit of the "Rosario" was overhanging above the deck, facing to the captain. The bodiless ghost of the vessel was passing through the ship, and the old captain's bustling sailors were falling down dead. Horror covered the captain; he was knocked down. His body, slain by an unknown force, dropped down on the floor. The _Rosario_ left the ship with dead crew behind and continued its terrible sailing.

* * *

Night in Tortuga has just begun. Taverns and pubs opened their doors to visitors who wanted merry and noisy feasts. Rummy bottles were tinkling; sailors' laughter and girls' screeches interrupted the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.

A very drunken fat sailor in a shabby officer coat sat down near Jack Sparrow, patted him on the shoulder, and began to tell something incomprehensible. Jack squeamishly looked at him and moved away. The fat man reeled on his stool and fell down on the floor, continuing to mutter something. Sparrow glanced compassionately at him and drank some rum from the almost empty bottle.

"Jack!"

The captain shook his head to see, who was calling him. The call repeated very close to his head. Sparrow turned. Gibbs was standing right in front of him. He looked worried.

"Mr. Gibbs, long time, no see."

Joshamee set the bottle aside from the captain and sat down opposite him on the free chair. The First Mate was very serious. This made Jack laugh.

"When did you become a teetotaler?" Sparrow asked mockingly.

Gibbs ignored his question and said abruptly,

"One more HMS has arrived to the harbor. Everyone on this ship is scared to death. They've seen the _Rosario_ in the sea. Only three hundred miles away from here."

The sailors, who were sitting near Jack and Gibbs, froze. Someone didn't bring the rum bottle to the mouth, someone didn't finish the phrase. All of them stared at the First Mate. Sparrow squinted and frowned.

"Who has seen this ship? Show me this devil," Jack demanded.

"I said, English officers."

"False. The _Rosario_ appears to everyone now." Jack waved away and took the bottle. "Better drink rum and stop to panic. Soberness isn't good for you."

"I'll drink, yeah," agreed Gibbs. "But the ship couldn't be imagined by three dozens of people. I don't like at all that this cursed ship has appeared here."

"It has appeared and it will swim away," Sparrow said calmly. "We won't change our plans. We're gonna to depart to Fort George tomorrow in the morning. We must deliver our valuable cargo there."

"Have it your way," said the First Mate humbly. "Just if something happens to the ship... You have only yourself to blame."

Jack just made a helpless gesture and drained the bottle. Muttering discontentedly, Gibbs went out from the pub. There was a crowd of drunken men in the street; among them, pretty ladies rustled their colorful dresses. The First Mate didn't pay attention to them and went down the street to the square. Another picture presented to him: officers in the red uniforms were standing near inns, looking to stay overnight. The pirate glanced to them, spat, and turned into the narrow lane between small houses on the sea shore.

* * *

The sailing ship flying a black flag with a skull and crossbones floated slowly by the harbor in Fort George and turned to the shore, rounding a woody promontory. There was no place for the Black Pearl at the pier in the fort. The ship was very different from the ships, moored there.

Jack keenly inspected the coast, looking for the place to drop the anchor. Finally, the heavy chain began to fall to the bottom, and the Black Pearl stopped near the rocky shore. Sparrow ordered his men to lower the rowboat, and soon he witn the help of a strapping sailor, deftly working the oars, he rowed to land.

The captain went ashore alone. Jumping over the stones, he reached the winding path, which steeply climbed up on the rock. On top it ran through a thickets of trees. He could hear the song of a bird. Jack was moving confidently along the narrow path and singing "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest". Suddenly Sparrow came across a branch, hanging down under the weight of the fruits. Jack tore one of them and took a bite, but the fruit was very bitter and hard, so the captain loudly spat it out.

The path became wider and turned into a street. Houses were hidden behind trees, single lights rarely twinkled among branches. Jack looked carefully at the houses like he was looking for a familiar one. He stopped near one of the two-floor stone houses with terrace. The candle was burning in the open window of the second floor, and wind gusts were playing with its flame. Jack came up to the oak door, hesitated at the threshold couple of seconds, and then knocked loudly. Nobody opened. Sparrow leaned to the door, trying to listen any sounds. Suddenly the door was opened. The cap lost the balance and fell down the corridor's floor with a crash. In this moment he could see the figure of a barefoot young man in the pants and the shirt.

"Jack?!" the young owner was amazed. He didn't expect guests to visit this late in the evening.

"Henry, nice to meet you!" said Sparrow, hoisting himself up on his elbow.

"Er, yeah, nice to meet you, too," the young Turner respond, swiping a hand across his forehead.

"I have some business in this fort, so I've decided to come and find out how old friends are doing," informed Jack, standing up and recovering from his fall.

"What business can a pirate have in the military fort?" someone asked in a serious voice from the stairs. In the light of the candle, burning in Henry's hands, Will appeared. His aged face with glimpses of gray hair expressed both displeasure and curiosity.

"Hugely important business, William,'' said Jack busily, and went to the table standing in the middle of the room. "Are you going to offer your guest anything?"

"Very likely, I'll offer him to go out the door," frowned Elizabeth, tying her robe and walking behind her husband. Years haven't touched her: she was still beautiful and fresh, but in her eyes there was more wisdom, in her movements – more staidness.

"Why so rude, your majesty?" said Jack with a laugh and a curtsy.

"Because I don't like to see you at my home," Elizabeth spoke coldly and adamantly.

"If the Pirate King ordered, I must to obey," Sparrow sat down at the table. "I'll just eat these nuts and then go out." The captain's hand descended to the vase, filled with nuts, and raked out a big handful. Jack threw them one by one into his mouth and smacked his lips.

"So... What business do you have in the fort?" Will asked one more time, sitting down next to Sparrow. Turner glanced inquisitively at the chewing pirate.

"I have to bring to the commandant a treasure," whispered Jack, leaning forward. "And I want to get a worthy reward for it."

"The pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, will go to a deal with an English officer?" Henry asked sceptically.

"When the deal smells of profit, a large profit, it is possible to do it," confirmed Jack. "As a result of a chain of fleeting events, a young female person has fallen in my power. I've learnt she escaped from marriage with the commandant. According to rumors, he promised to fulfill any whim of someone who would return the girl. And my whim is very simple. I'd like to get his protection extended to the Black Pearl and the whole crew, including myself.

"Do you want to sell this girl to the commandant to save your own skin?" asked Will disapprovingly.

"You're frowning as if I'm selling her into slavery. Just marriage."

"You'll not get anything done, Jack. As soon as you'll appear in the fort, you'll be caught and hung. And I don't want one of us will be blamed in helping you," said Mrs. Turner strictly. "Go out now."

«This is Jack Sparrow?" a sleepy woman's voice came from the far dark corner of the room.

"Carina Smyth – that is, Barbossa – if I'm not mistaken?" Jack perked up, waiting for the girl's appearance. The brunette came out of the dark, rubbing her eyes.

"Carina Turner," corrected Henry. "She is my wife."

"Wow, she didn't wait for me," said the pirate with facetious regret.

"Enough!" screamed Elizabeth, and slammed the hand on the table. "If you don't disappear right now, Jack..."

"Will you shout and call for help a regiment of soldiers? Then you will be definitely hung up on the gallows because you let into your house the famous pirate, captain Jack Sparrow. Why so much hate, darling?"

"Piracy is approaching its final days. Someday soon the last pirate and everyone sympathized for it, will be gibbeted. None of us wants to be involved in it," explained Will.

"And I'm absolutely sure: if you appear, new problems will follow," added Elizabeth with sigh. "No more adventures. I don't want our life to be ruined because of you, Jack."

These words wounded the pirate. He looked down, shuffling the leg on the wooden floor and knocking his fingers on the table. Then he glanced again at Elizabeth and Will in agreement.

"Well, the trump card is in my hands. I'll achieve the protection from the commandant. And now, as I see it, it is really time to leave."

Jack turned on his heels and strode to the door. But he didn't have time to reach the entrance before the door opened. One more unbidden guest was standing on the threshold. First Mate Gibbs, panting and holding on to his heart, leaned on the doorjamb and said:

"Jack, the girl has escaped."


	2. Chapter 2

The HMS _Severe_ has just arrived to Fort George from a shipyard, still smelling of paint and resin. The frigate, painted with lightning and flames, made an enchanting impression. It didn't match its name and mission at all.

The commandant of the Fort, Mr. Derek Richardson, was a strong dark-haired man. He was walking on the deck of the new frigate, raising his head arrogantly and clasping his hands behind his back. Officers in dress uniform and the crew were standing at attention. They were silent and ready to fulfill any order.

The commandant was satisfied with the condition of the _Severe_. He ascended to the afterdeck and turned to the sailors who were standing beneath. He looked at the ship appraisingly one more time, and suddenly his glance stopped on a women's figure, which came out from the shadow. Richardson's face distorted with anxiety and excitement, but he put on a mask of calm and indifference, and asked his aide,

"Mr. Morris, what is that girl doing on the ship?"

Mr. Morris, a puny young man, looked around scaredly and saw the young woman. He glanced at Derek, at the girl again, and said timidly,

"Sir, this is miss Thorn, your bride".

"I didn't recognize her without your help, Mr. Morris", Richardson noted sarcastically. "Conduct miss Thorn to the captain's cabin."

The commandant came into the spacious cabin after his bride and aide. He signaled to Morris to go out immediately, and young man ran to the door like a mouse, closed it tightly. Miss Thorn and Richardson stood face to face in the comfortable and tastefully furnished cabin.

Derek didn't look at her eyes at once. He glanced first at the dirty skirt and torn lace of the beige satin dress, which looked like rags. Richardson remembered this dress which used to be a real work of tailor's art and successfully emphasized her grace.

Glancing at her pale slimmer face, framed with dark dry hair, caused an attack of rage in Derek. Clenching his fists, he restrained his temper. Miss Thorn lowered her head submissively and waited. Richardson passed to the sofa and sat down.

"Agnes..." the commandant said with a gasp. "I didn't think I will see you again. Of course, I made a lot of effort to find you, but you've returned voluntarily."

"I haven't returned," the brunette retorted coldly, raising her head. Rage flashed in the Derek's eyes again, but he suppressed it promptly.

"So, what are you doing on my ship now?"

"I left without explaining. I hoped you would accept my decision and release me. But you've thought you can buy me like a commodity from the first person who finds me. It doesn't make you a man of honor."

Agnes started to pace the length of the cabin, looking around with aloofness.

"You ran off a week before the wedding. I appraise that as betrayal," Derek said strictly and frowned. Anger accrued in his soul and threatened to spill out like boiling water from a vessel. "I'm remembering your words of love..."

"I tack back my words," Agnes interrupted him impatiently. "I didn't love you. Forgive me. I was mistaken about my feelings all this time."

He glanced at her clear brown eyes, which looked at him confidently and fixedly. His sight became foggy. He felt like he was going insane. She has lied to him for two years. And now she wanted simply to go away.

Derek was a harsh and principled person. He felt his ideals and standards were scolded now. The lady he loved and dreamed to see as his wife crossed out everything that was between them. She desecrated the last kind and sincere feelings lived in his fearsome soul.

His hand stretched to the revolver unconsciously. Richardson looked at the Agnes's eyes, hoping to see fear or confusion. But they expressed only doubt. She knew his weakness and worship of women. If there was an enemy in front of him, he would not hesitate. He has murdered already. But Derek didn't dared to kill a woman.

However Agnes's lips whispered almost noiselessly,

"Don't do it."

This unsuccessful supplication became a signal to action. The shot, the smoky cloud, the crunch of the tearing cloth, and the bullet-gnawed the wooden cupboard.

Agnes was still standing in front of him all the same. Her light dress didn't become red with blood which should've sprung forth like a fountain. Derek knew he had hit her. But nothing happened.

"What does it mean?" Derek said, glancing at her like a sheep at the butcher.

"Better for you not to know," Agnes answered slowly and covered the hole on the dress with her hand. Richardson repeated his question again, but the girl closed her eyes wearily and breathed deeply. Clear consciousness had returned to him, and he was looking for the answer to the questions: why she didn't die from the hot? What being is she?

"Get out jf my ship," the commandant said in a trembling voice as if he had given an indisputable order. "It is really better for me not to know what you are. Just disappear. I release you."

Agnes nodded with a bitter farewell glance and went to the deck. Richardson's legs buckled. He fell down on the sofa, dropped the revolver, and grasped his perspiring head with both hands.

* * *

The dawn was approaching. The lazy southern sun would rise for a long time, illuminating the clear sky with its rays. Only a strip of lights appeared in the east, delineating the water from the coastline.

Jack Sparrow watched the horizon, sitting on the rock and swinging his legs. There was a big ship in the distance, but the captain looked out for a smaller vessel – a rowboat. After all, the girl had slipped away from the Black Pearl on the rowboat. But Jack's search was in vain.

Jack was terribly depressed. He had such grandiose plans, he had hung all of his hopes on this deal... But in a one moment, everything was ruined because of sleepy sailor who was supposed to guard the girl. Sparrow wanted to flog this lazybones properly himself, but Gibbs promised to execute punishment in good faith.

"It seems your trump card has just slipped away from you," Elizabeth had said to Jack before putting him out the door. These words still spun in his head. And now he lost all hope to return this card and fortune: there was no girl to be seen in the sea or on the land. Meanwhile, the sun was rising, the town was waking up, and if one of the citizens saw Sparrow, he would be surrendered to the military because he is a pirate, a criminal and a rascal. He couldn't protect himself from accusations of piracy. So, it was time swim out from the fort and hurry up to the Black Pearl.

Jack wanted to drink some rum to ease the pain of disappointment, but he turned up on the damned teetotaler's island: the commandant of the fort forbade the sale of alcohol. There was nothing to do here, and the upset captain started to reach the path which he had been walking this night. Suddenly, Sparrow saw the escapee. She stood with her back to him near the precipice.

"Just don't scare her away," Jack thought and rubbed his hands craftily. The ball comes to the player. The captain stepped on the rocks silently, like a cat, and approached the girl. All o a sudden, she turned. Sparrow froze as if a statue.

"Thought to attack from behind?" she asked with a smirk and took a step towards Jack. "To no effect."

"Attack? A lady? How could you think about me that way?"

"Oh, don't pretend to be a noble knight. I know your intentions. But I have to upset you. Sir Richardson isn't looking for me anymore. We broke off our engagement by mutual agreement. And you will receive nothing if you take me to the fort. Except a trip to the guillotine.

"No, I don't agree to that," Jack said. "However, how can you confirm your words? About breaking the engagement by mutual agreement?"

"We didn't formalize our agreement with documentation. But I'm absolutely sure you may ask the commandant for clarification, and you can pay your precious life for that clarification. As you can see, I'm in the new dress," Agnes whirled, and the fluffy emerald green skirt raised a little. Shiny threads in the bodice flowed in the sun rays. Jack nodded approvingly, having examined the dress.

"After resolving the conflict, I returned to my former house and picked up this dress. It is my favorite," the brunette said. "Now I'm planning to leave this ill-fated town, and your ship is suitable for this purpose."

"The Black Pearl doesn't take passengers," Jack declared.

"Take me to the crew," Agnes advised.

"I'll examine your candidacy," Sparrow answered and stepped back, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Examine!" she said in permissive tone and turned to the sea.

Something prompted the captain to think that the girl was messing with his head. She escaped from the ship, and yet asked to come back now. But she was very pretty and fragile-looking. It was difficult to imagine what she could do to help the ship. But Jack could always find a task for a beautiful girl.

Sparrow got ready to voice his decision, but he saw our of the corner of his eye a ship that he considered a myth. The vessel swayed on the waves at the entrance to the harbor. The outlines of the vessel. The ghost. That is, the very same Rosario, about which Gibbs told him in Tortuga. Sparrow didn't believe Gibbs. But now he saw the ship with his own eyes, full of horror. Jack looked at Agnes. She was scared to death.


	3. Chapter 3

Carina always got up early. She liked to sit on the shore and work in the fresh sunrise time when the sun had only begun to warm the sand, and the waves lap the shore slowly and softly. This work – translations and calculations - was enjoyable for the girl. Nobody paid her for it. Society disliked girls spending time on such highly intellectual engagements. However, when sometimes somebody asked her for help and advice, she didn't refuse.

Today she had woken up earlier than the others again. Henry loved to nap, especially when his father didn't needed help on the forge. After returning, Will decided to forge swords as many years before. And he did it very professionally like formerly. When rumors about his high quality weapons got around, Will began to get orders from other forts, islands and continents. Finally, now he even forged swords for London's officers.

Carina was very surprised how fast Will could change himself from the captain of the cursed ship to a successful artisan. She liked him very much. Carina respected him as a noble, strong-willed and at the same time simple, yet sincere person. He told her a lot of stories about her father and seafaring. Occasionally Henry joked he was jealous of her.

She became Mrs. Turner six months ago. Henry had made her an offer of his hands and hearts more than once, but she postponed the marriage again and again. She often thought that his feeling to her was just gratitude for help in his father's rescue. But as time went on, he became attached to her and she to him. Henry has changed: he became less frivolous and weak-willed and more judicious and braver. She fell in love with him for good.

Only relations with Elizabeth weren't quite smooth. Carina couldn't unravel her, and her mind and intuition didn't help her. The girl felt that she hasn't found out the real Elizabeth during this two years. It was like Elizabeth always was wearing a mask, which was different depending on the situation: first an intelligent woman who could keep the conversation in the secular society going, then an infinitely loving and loyal wife, then a volitional and imperious mistress. But Carina sensed that none of these roles were suitable for Elizabeth Turner. And last night, during the talk with Jack, her hate, anger and her loud tone were just parts of the mask. Carina knew it. But she didn't know who was hidden under the mask.

Carina wore a daily crimson dress and opened the door to the kitchen silently. Suddenly, she stopped right there in stupor and bewilderment. A young dark-haired girl in the emerald-green dress was sitting at the table. She bent down over the book, that Carina had been translating last few days, and made notes in Turner's notebook.

Henry's sword stood near the bedrooms'door. Carina grabbed it unconsciously when she had seen the stranger, though she couldn't fence, and the guest hadn't a weapon. The sword hit the wall and tinkled loudly. The girl at the table stared frightened at Carina and dropped the pencil.

"Who are you?" Mrs. Turner asked and raised the sword threateningly. The stranger got up from the table and raised her hands up.

"My name is Agnes Thorn, Miss..." Agnes said, wanting to discover the mistress's name.

"Mrs. Turner." Carina informed. She still didn't let down the sword.

"Wait, I know Mrs. Turner... I've met her in the fort."

"You speak about my mother-in-law," the girl answered.

"What's the matter, Carina?" Henry, dressing a vest hastily, appeared behind his wife's back and looked at Agnes.

"Wake up your parents, " Carina said. "This girl broke into the house and declared she knew your mother."

Henry fulfilled the request, and in ten minutes, all three of them went down from the second floor. Elizabeth was splendid in her cream-coloured dress. In contrast, Will was looked untidy and sleepy.

"Miss Thorn? The commandant's bride? What are you doing so early in my house without an invitation?" Elizabeth asked in the voice of the volitional and imperious mistress.

"I got an invitation, but not from you," Agnes replied.

"So from whom?"

This question was answered immediately. The entrance door opened. Jack Sparrow appeared on the threshold.

"Have become acquainted already?" he asked unperturbedly and came into the room.

"Jack, didn't you understand you are not welcome here?" Will said. "It doesn't give me any pleasure to expel you, but you behave..."

"Like Jack Sparrow behaves usually," Elizabeth finished her husband's phrase. "Why are you so insistent, Jack?"

"I planned to float away in the morning. But my plans have been changed because of one ship appearing on the horizon."

"What ship?" Elizabeth asked incredulously. Jack took her arm and led to the window. Others went towards them. They all saw the _Rosario._

It seemed the ship was both illusive and absolutely material. The vessel was standing aloof from the fort's ships on which sailors were running fussily. However, the deck of the _Rosario_ was lifeless and deserted.

"Is it the ghost ship which destroyed nine vessels about one hundred years ago?" Henry asked.

"Destroyed?" Will asked again. He didn't realize what his son had said.

"Years ago nine ships were found in the sea with dead crews. Murdered by unknown forces. Some sailors saw the _Rosario_ there in the moment. And they assumed the tragedies happened because of it."

"It is one of those damned sea legends again!" Elizabeth screamed darkly and recoiled from the window.

Suddenly, the sound of many steps were heard from the street. Elizabeth looked at the window again and saw soldiers, going to her home. They were looking for someone and checked every house. It took her breath away. There was no time to catch it. Someone knocked the door right here. The commandant of the fort came in.

"I knew for some reason that you were here. The Turners always were very suspicious," Derek addressed Agnes coldly. Then he ordered,

"Send everyone here to the fort's prison. The pirate will be executed. Miss Thorn will be locked up in the solitary confinement. The others will be placed on trial for abetting these two."

No one had time to resist. The ropes tied their arms, and all six were taken to the fort under escort.

The commandant had gone ahead on horseback. Six escorts stayed with Jack, Agnes and the Turners. Henry and Carina were first, Will and Elizabeth went behind them, and Jack with Agnes ended the procession. The soldier, walking besides Thorn, whispered to her unkindly,

"You witch, you witch! This ship is your trick!"

"So that's the problem," Agnes guessed. "Derek thinks that I'm linked with the _Rosario_ somehow."

The ship-ghost moved, all of a sudden. The soldiers froze and stared at it, horrified. The _Rosario_ was sailing slowly to the _Severe_ like a shark which has seen a victim. Agnes's escort muttered prayers and looked about deliriously, as the bodiless vessel plowed the waves. The girl exchanged glances with Jack.

She started to quickly work with her nimble fingers, untying the weak ropes. Sparrow tried to copy her movements, but he didn't make a lot of progress. When the ropes had finally fallen down from Agnes's hands, Jack had liberated only his left arm. But it was enough for him.

Thorn pulled out a knife at lighting speed, which was tied onto her leg. Sparrow stole and unsheathed the escort's sword. One minute later, the scared soldiers were bleeding. They continued to act in tandem: Jack repelled the escorts' hits, Agnes untied the ropes on the Turners' hands. Soon all six captives were running away. They understood that at any moment, the soldiers would start chasing them.

Jack led them along the road through the forest on the cliff. Leaving the forest, they saw familiar black sails. The _Pearl_ was standing in the low grotto at the opposite side of the bay, as if someone had tried to hide it. Jack explained,

"I had to save the ship from this _Rosario_!"

"How will you take it out from there?" Will asked. Sparrow shrugged. Meanwhile, the noise of breaking branches and hasty steps increased. The chase grew closer and closer.

The escapees ran fast along the shore to the ship. A few minutes later, soldiers appeared on the coast. They had revolvers. Some of them rushed after Jack and his comrades; some tried to shoot from far away. Sparrow, the Turners and Agnes rounded the bay and approached the Pearl. The mainmast rested near the arch of the grotto. Now there was a one opportunity to get to the vessel – come down the mainmast. Jack was the first who jumped the yard and climbed down the tackle. Will and Henry followed the ladies and climbed down after them. The soldiers were quite close. One of their bullets hit the sail, another touched the yard. Sparrow looked around hectically and decided how to take out the Pearl into the open sea soon and safely.

The top of the mainmast with the flag broke after running into the grotto arch, and hung on the ropes. The _Pearl_ got out of the shelter. As the soldiers climbed on the arch of the grotto, the ship floated away from it. A fair wind touched the dark sails, and the confident _Black Pearl_ sailed away from the fort.


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe I'm on _the_ _Pearl_ again," Elizabeth lamented, standing on the stern and watching at water's surface. Will came up to her from behind and hugged her. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes wearily.

"Don't be afraid," Will whispered. "Nothing will hurt us."

"But Jones... If is he really resurrected?" Elisabeth looked at her husband with fear.

"Don't dare even think about it," Turner said strictly. "Jones is dead."

"Jones? Have I heard Davy Jones' name?" Jack, who had suddenly appeared behind them, asked and squinted suspiciously.

"You have misheard it," Will snapped out.

"You haven't misheard it," Elizabeth blurted. Her husband stared at her with surprised eyes.

"Have you decided to remember the glorious times?" Sparrow chuckled. "Or are you concealing anything?"

"I think everybody on this ship conceals something," Henry noticed, ascending on the afterdeck with Carina. He glanced at Jack inquiringly, and then looked at Agnes, standing beneath on the deck.

«I am clean as a white sheet," Jack declared, raising his hands up. "So I am ready to listen your stories. Well, what about Jones?"

«He is alive and well," Elizabeth said. Jack stared at her cautiously.

"I love humor, but I don't like your joke quite as much," Sparrow answered.

"And I don't tell jokes," the woman smirked gloomily.

Agnes had noticed that they were discussing something, and ascended on the afterdeck. She stopped beside the stairs, leaning on the handrail, and prepared to listen.

Will told excitedly, "One day at night I saw a bad dream: as if Jones broke in our bedroom and brought his claws over Liz. I woke up right away. I thought nightmares happen to everyone. But in the morning I found seashells and seaweed in a puddle of water on the floor."

"But you didn't see Jones?" Jack clarified. Turner shook his head negatively.

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Henry asked.

"We were safe on the land. But here, in the sea... Who knows?" Will answered doubtfully.

"Wait... You are really the very same William Turner who became the captain of _the_ _Flying Dutchman_ instead of Davy Jones?" Agnes questioned amazedly.

"Yes, unfortunately," Turner confirmed.

"I've never thought about you this way. Your wife didn't give anyone occasion to suppose it."

"Everyone has secrets," Elizabeth said. "And you are not an exception."

"She is right," Jack agreed. "You are the dark horse here," he added, pointing a finger to Agnes.

Miss Thorn went ahead and stood in the center of the circle, formed by the others. She reported like she was under interrogation,

"I was born 28 years ago in London. There I spent the biggest part of my life."

"If you are English, why do you know French so well?" Carina interrupted her straight away. "That book on the table, which I had been translating, was in French. I noticed you had been able to translate a lot."

"I was friends with migrants from France. They taught me," Agnes replied sharply, turning to Carina. "Now, let me continue. My father was a sailor, my mother was a maid. When she had started to work in Richardson's house, Derek met me. But he was from the rich family, and I was a street beggar. We must not be together. However, Derek offered to go here, to the fort, where no rules could stop us from getting married. He prepared everything here for a long time, and I was in London. And the time apart changed us. He became another person, me too."

"So you decided to break off your engagement by mutual agreement, but today in the morning he has changed his mind," Jack summed up. "Snotty story."

"Please, no sentiments, Mr. Sparrow," Agnes asked. "I think he has changed his mind for another reason. Failures with women always bring him problems. And now he imagined that _the_ _Rosario_ appeared because of my leaving."

"Is that a coincidence? Or is your sweet voice keeping back anything?" Jack inquired, coming close to the girl.

"Just a coincidence," Agnes answered calmly and stepped back from him. All of a sudden, she stared at Will. "And to you, Mr. Turner, I want to say something about the dream and seashells. Have you ever heard about Scylla and Charybdis?"

Everybody was silent. Even Henry who seemingly knew all sea legends and tales now looked at Agnes curiously and waited for her to continue.

Suddenly, Carina said, "These are two beasts which guard allegedly Poseidon's treasury, aren't they? We saw his treasury, and there were no Scylla and Charybdis there."

"Indeed, they guard the treasury, but not only of Poseidon. They guard the treasury of all sea gods. And they are not beasts. Charybdis is a whirlpool, Scylla is a rock."

"Can you get to the point?" Elizabeth asked impatiently.

"It said when someone takes something from the treasury and doesn't return it, Scylla and Charybdis send them a reminder. At the beginning, it is a nightmare, then – a small thing. It is like in your story, isn't it?"

Will didn't speak thoughtfully.

"I didn't take anything from this treasury. I listened to the warnings about it the first time."

"Maybe it is just a coincidence," Agnes shrugged.

Jack said philosophically, "There are no just coincidences, darling."

* * *

The _Pearl_ had already been floating for some days, cutting waves and passing by islands. Water and food supplies were scanty and came to an end. But the most important problem was drying out of the rum. Besides, it was unbearably hot. Even the sea breeze was so warm that it seemed the sails could catch fire. Scorching sun rays tanned the skin, and there were few people who risked to be on the deck more than an hour in the daytime.

Jack was in his cabin almost all the time because, as he had said, he didn't want to become "a pig with toasted flanks." Now he was busy collecting the last drops of rum. All the bottles were upended and hung to the ceiling so the precious drink flowed down into the flat vat on the floor. Rarely, the drops' chime was heard in the suffocating silence. Sparrow was napping.

"Jack!" Will screamed and opened the door. Scorching air broke into the locked room. "We need to stop somewhere and replenish our supplies. Or have you decided to starve us all to death?"

"By the way, it is not a bad method to get rid of you all," Sparrow replied, thoughtfully scratching his chin. "However, tonight I'm going to go into the estuary of the river on an island, which is owned by Spanish colonists." To confirm his words, the captain ran the finger across a shabby and faded map. "There we could collect water and food, and I'll barter the rum with the familiar tradesman."

"Barter? You have nothing to barter."

"I'll borrow."

"And will not repay."

"That's the beauty of it."

Will just spread his hands. Jack took the spyglass and his compass and came to the deck with Turner. The captain ascended to the wheel and glanced at the compass. The arrow deviated then to the right and then to the left, but finally stood in one position. Jack corrected the course and gave the spyglass to Will.

"If you watch there, soon you will see this island," Sparrow said and pointed to the horizon. Turner tuned the spyglass and looked far away attentively.

"I see it already," Will said with a smile, viewing the green dot, which looked like an oasis among the blue sea desert.


	5. Chapter 5

There was the tart rum flavor in the cold and wet river air. _The Pearl_ was standing with food, fresh water and alcohol in the wide backwater under palms. Jack visited his usual tradesman successfully and promised him a part of treasures which the captain was allegedly going to find. The guileless merchant agreed quickly to give Sparrow everything he wanted. "This Spanish is great investor!" Jack laughed, watching how his crew was bringing boxes and casks on the ship. After it the captain didn't lose the chance to celebrate this event, and one whole box of rum bottles disappeared by the end of the evening. Most importantly, this box turned out to be a very comfortable bed for Jack, so he was sleeping in it, occasionally snoring loudly in the dozing silence.

Agnes ascended on the upper deck from the stuffy lower deck to inhale fresh night air. She had stepped on an empty bottle right in her path, so it rolled to the board, the girl realized that the captain was pretty drunk. She lit the lamp and wearily sat down on a box of rum in which all of the bottles were still full.

The soft wind played with her hair, the humid air was fresh and pleasant. But all of a sudden, a gust of sharp ice bumped her back. The flickering flame of the lamp went out. The deck was now only lit with the muted light of the stars. Agnes focused her attention on sleeping Jack. He shuddered anxiously, cringing, and a grimace of pain and hopelessness distorted his face. It seemed he tried to run away from something invisible but couldn't. The box-turned-bed had began to fall to the side because of Jack's random movements, and soon almost turned over. Agnes was afraid of being seen, and hid under the stairs. She glanced around the deck and saw strange crabs. They were approaching Jack, and looked like large light-gray stones. The girl was scared very much and wanted to scream. But she was silent, watching the unusual scene, and her heart almost jumped out of her chest.

Jack, after dropping out on the deck, didn't even wake up and tossed convulsively in a dream. The crabs crept to him and became smaller. Lot of them disappeared like melting icicles under the sun's rays. Finally, one last crab climbed on the Sparrow's palm. Jack jumped up as if he had been stung. Agnes slipped under the stairs.

Jack became sober instantly, looked at the crab in bewilderment, and brought him up to his eyes to examine it in detail. The same ones had pestered him in Davy Jones' Locker. Sparrow winced because of these memories. He swung and threw the crab into the river. But there wasn't a splash of water overboard. Jack, with difficulty, could see that the crab flew back to him. The captain tried to dodge, but it was in vain. The crab landed exactly upon Jack's palm. Sparrow squeezed it in his hands discontentedly and put in his pocket. This sign didn't bode well.

Agnes went cautiously out from under the stairs and decided not to tell Jack that she had seen everything. So she asked him casually,

"Couldn't sleep, Mr. Sparrow?"

Sparrow turned perplexedly and looked at the girl unblinkingly.

"You too, as I see," Jack replied.

"It is very hot on the lower deck. Just like in hell. I came out for a breathe of fresh air."

"But the exit from the lower deck is in the other side," the captain noticed with suspicion. Thorn looked around, trying to find an explanation as to why she was here. She pointed to the water cask where a cup was floating. Jack nodded.

"So, I see you like to drink alone?" Agnes asked, taking a rum bottle and upending it to make sure it was empty.

"Good alcohol is the best company," Jack smirked and grabbed a new bottle.

"How much is it good?" Thorn inquired and picked up the bottle from Jack's hands. She drank a sip.

"To tell the truth, it is not bad."

"I suppose I can leave you with it," Sparrow said and stepped back to his cabin.

"I don't consider even the best rum as great company. Could you stay? Or do you escape women's society?"

"If I escaped women's society, there wouldn't be three skirts on my ship," Jack answered.

"True, but just when a woman offers to drink a little with you, you escape right away with no reason... It makes me think..."

"About the wrong things," Jack finished her phrase. "You know, honestly, I'm a bit scared of you. You untangle ropes easily and bring a knife with you."

"There is no knife now," Agnes said and shamelessly raised her skirt's hem a little. Both legs were without attached knives.

"That changes everything," Jack said and exhaled theatrically. He lit the lamp and sat on the box. "To drinking with girls without knives under their dresses," he declared a toast and drank half of the bottle with one swallow. Agnes laughed and drank a little, too.

"How many years have you sailed the seas?" the girl asked after the second toast. ("For good luck").

"Since I have been in diapers," Jack replied proudly and stroked affectionately the rope, hanging above his head. "My father, Captain Teague, was a pirate, and I followed in his footsteps, so to speak.

"Is the way of the real pirate hard?" Agnes asked.

"It is dangerous, but merry, Miss Thorn," Sparrow said, drinking the other half of the bottle in one gulp. "I started as cabin boy on _the_ _Troubadour_ , captained by my father, and _the_ _Koldunya_ of Borya Palachnik. Then I decided to captain my own ship."

Jack glanced at Agnes to make sure she was really interested in his story. The girl was sitting opposite him and was slowly drinking the rum, listening to him attentively and viewing him thoughtfully. Sparrow went on, " _The Barnacle_ was my first vessel. With my small crew, I found the Sword of Cortes, which had the ability to control storms. But I didn't venture to possess it. After that there were the adventures with the Sun-and-Stars Amulet, the Battle of New Orleans, Fitzwilliam's betrayal, though this guy had been with me on _the Barnacle_ since the first days. Then I was looking for Poseidon's treasures – the chariot and the trident."

"Is that the very same one which could ruin all sea curses?" Agnes inquired.

"Yes, it is. But don't rush things, sweetie. It will ruin all curses later. What have I told you? Remember. I bartered with the one powerful witch, Tia Dalma, who has often helped me before, a magical compass. In that time I served on _the Wicked Wench,_ captained by the pirate Morgan. One day during a dispute with him, I lost the compass. I hadn't know its power and understood it only in the moment when a dying Morgan gave me it back in the battle with El Matador Del Mar. Do you know who is known as El Matador Del Mar?" Sparrow asked in mysterious voice.

"The Spanish captain, Armando Salazar, a pirate hunter," Thorn replied without thinking. Jack was confused by her knowledge, but didn't bat an eye.

"And do you know, who has beaten him twice? Me," Jack said and poked his finger at his chest pointedly. "The compass had pointed me to the Devil's Triangle, and I led _the Wicked Wench_ there. Salazar chased it there and fell into the trap. The moniker 'Sparrow' I got because of him."

"And after this you became Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"Not quite. Fate gave me a job in the East India Trading Company. Its director was Cutler Beckett. Nasty guy. I didn't know how he had got the same _Wicked Wench,_ but Beckett appointed me to be the captain of this ship. I had transported cargo in all Seven Seas while this demon didn't want to find treasures of the Kerma Island. At this point we had parted ways, though, unfortunately, soon we met each other again. As a punishment for insubordination, he left me this mark." At these words, Jack bared his right forearm and showed the scar–a letter "P.". Agnes touched the scar softly and rolled his sleeve up. She saw a sparrow tattooed on it. The girl ran her finger on the black outlines playfully. Inspired, Jack continued the narration.

"Beckett drowned _the Wench._ However, I made a deal with Davy Jones: a century of service on _the Dutchman_ for 13 years of floating on the _Wicked Wench,_ which he raised from the bottom. I gave it a new name – _the Black Pearl_. It was a beginning of the story of the famous Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack declared solemnly and dried the next rum bottle. But his mind was still clear, and who the girl was sitting beside him wasn't quite clear for him. After a modest pause, he decided to figure out it.

"However, this story you can listen to if you tell me everything about you."

"Have you forgotten it? I told you about myself a few days ago."

"I don't believe that you are a simple London beggar. You are definitely not who you say you are."

"Alright, I'll fill the blank spots. Two times I was imprisoned, escaped, worked with criminals. So I'm good at using weapons and can free myself from shackles. Got it?"

"The explanations are accepted. I see you are a more wicked wench," Jack laughed loudly.

"No, Jack," Agnes shook her index finger. "I prefer to position myself as a black pearl."

"Apparently, this is the thing in you that attracted Richardson. But what did you see in him?"

"It is hard to say. He is the same as Beckett. Nasty guy, too. I just wanted to live another life. Be rich and free. But that life wasn't for me."

"What life is for you?"

"Now I like to drink rum on a pirate's ship and listen the stories of its brave captain."

These words were flattering to Jack. He had clinked the bottle with Agnes pleasantly, drank and started to describe vividly his further adventures. Alcohol had loosened his tongue, so Sparrow wondered how much he could chat, and wasn't able to stop. He told her about his last adventures with the Turners and Angelica, then returned to the older events, such as life in Shipwreck Cove or catching rogue pirates. Miss Thorn was a tireless listener.

The night approached the morning, so the air became colder. Birds were silent for a long time; only the increasing wind was walking among the trees and was playing with leaves. Agnes felt cold and snuggled up to Jack. Sparrow came to the end of his story and described in all colors Salazar's dead men, Poseidon's island and the trident.

"Now you can confidently say that you have known me all your life. I have never trusted everything about myself to anybody."

"And I can surely say you are really the bravest captain of everyone which I've ever met," Agnes said with a pretty smile. Jack looked at her harmonic facial features, which had become almost familiar to him in this night.

"Maybe not the bravest... Though, you are right," Sparrow agreed contentedly. He removed a dark strand of her hair from her pale face. He watched her almost black eyes, mirroring the stars. Suddenly, Jack felt he drowned into their depths. Thoughts floated through his drunken mind: _The treacherous seducer! Damn, I don't care._

He touched her neck with his coarse fingers. The girl leaned to him and touched with her palm to his tanned cheekbones, rough because of wind and saltwater.

The flame in the lamp lived its last seconds. It faded away and gave the couple to the embrace of the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Elizabeth ascended onto the deck and squinted because the sun shone very brightly. She looked around. _The Black Pearl_ was in the estuary of the river and hurried towards sea waves, captained by Will. Elizabeth came to the bucket and washed her face, splashing her rather dirty chemise. Then she climbed to the ship's wheel.

"Good morning," she said and kissed softly her husband's cheek. "What is our heading?"

"Jack ordered us out to sea in the morning," Mr. Gibbs responded behind her back.

"And where is Jack?" Elizabeth asked and took a spyglass in her hands. _The Pearl_ passed by the last thickets on the island's shore and sailed to the open sea.

"Judging by the number of rum bottles which Jack had left here, he drank like never before. He is sleeping in his cabin," the First Mate informed.

"Just like him," Elizabeth noted with an easy grin. She inhaled salty and still fresh air and watched the endless horizon. Suddenly, she saw a dark point in the sea to the right of the ship. Elizabeth brought the spyglass to her eyes and gasped.

"What's the matter?" Will inquired with concern and followed his wife's look. He also saw the point. It made him feel anxious. Elizabeth ran down and knocked with full force to the door of Jack's cabin. She heard lazy, shuffling steps, and drummed louder.

"Keep your knuckles, baby," Sparrow said sleepily and opened the door.

"Jack, I saw a ship there!" Elizabeth screamed, running into the room.

"And I see a ship here," the captain replied, putting on his shirt. He was bared to the waist.

Elizabeth glanced at the bed where Agnes, dark hair scattered on the dirty pillow, was sleeping sweetly. Jack could swear that in this moment he saw in Turner's eyes anger and envy; however, then she looked at the captain with reproach and asked him, "Why have you exploited her?"

"Who exploited who?" Sparrow smirked. Elizabeth chuckled, turned abruptly and ran to the deck, slamming the door.

"Mr. Gibbs, how many cannonballs and cannons do we have?" Elizabeth inquired, soaring up on the afterdeck.

"Are you going to fight it?" Will asked, looking at his wife's burning eyes. He saw in front of him not a forty years old housewife who rarely visited quiet dinners with families of English officers, but a young girl, a pirate who was ready to head a squadron to the battle. She was the real Elizabeth.

The noise on the deck drew out almost all the crew. Henry and Carina also ascended from the lower deck. The young Turner wanted to ask his father what help was necessary, but froze at the sight of his mother. He has never seen her before like now: she was confident, brave, strong. Carina pushed him in his side and whispered: "I've told you have never seen real her."

The dispute between Will and Elizabeth was continued on the afterdeck. Mr. Gibbs sometimes interrupted them.

"The cannons are operable, but we haven't got enough cannonballs," he reported.

"We need to float away, Elizabeth. We'll set the sail, and they couldn't chase us down. There is a reason _T_ _he Black Pearl_ is considered to be the fastest ship in all Seven Seas," Will insisted.

Jack, opening the doors widely, went away from the cabin. He squinted and watched the sea over the right side of _T_ _he Pearl_. He froze. Everyone looked there.

"I'm taking my words about speed of _The_ _Pearl_ back," Will said and swallowed. One mile from them _T_ _he Severe_ sailed to _The Black Pearl_ , cutting through the waves. Commandant Richardson was standing on the bow of his ship. He straightened his back proudly and watched ahead arrogantly. When the distance between vessels had reduced to ten yards, the frigate stopped.

Derek glanced condescendingly at the deck of _T_ _he Pearl_. Everyone who was on it looked at the commandant tensely.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," he called the pirate in a teasing tone. Jack said silently,

"Didn't make a mistake with my name, good."

Agnes had heard the voice of her ex-groom and ran away from the captain's cabin onto the deck. She was anxious. She saw _T_ _he Severe_ and froze. Derek continued his speech with contempt,

"One of the last pirates of the Caribbean Sea, the vile bandit and criminal. I declare to you in the name of the British Crown that your time is over. I offer you a choice to surrender voluntarily, otherwise our cannons will turn your precious _Black Pearl_ into the ash. What will you choose?"

"Let me to ask you a question, Mr. Richardson," Jack said, standing opposite the commandant. "Are you a man of honor?"

"Of course," Derek answered without thinking.

"Well, so I offer you to figure out in a fair fight if my time is truly over. Unfortunately, _The Pearl_ hasn't got enough cannons for a battle. But we have swords. Would you like a combat one on one?"

"It sounds like an invitation for a duel," Richardson laughed, and then added in a serious voice, "But I won't fall for a duel with a pirate."

"Right. I will send from my side the best fencer, William Turner," Jack announced and pointed to Will. Elizabeth looked at Sparrow with anger and hate.

"You are insane, Jack!" she screamed to him and clenched her fists. It seemed she was ready to smother him with her bare hands, cut his head and bring it to the commandant. Will stopped her and hugged her warmly. Her impulse was cooled instantly.

Turner glanced at Jack and said quietly, "Good step."

"I hope you realize what are doing," Henry said worriedly when the father shook his hand as if saying farewell. Will took a sword, examined it, and walked to the starboard side, satisfied.

"If he is the best fencer..." Richardson spoke thoughtfully, "I choose Mr. Fechter as an opponent to your candidate."

Fechter stepped forward. He was a middle-aged tall blond man. He stared at Will with his sharp-sighted gray eyes, bared his sword and approached the railing.

"Lower the rowboat," Richardson ordered. Soon one of the numerous rowboats of _T_ _he Severe_ was on the water, and Fechter was standing in it. He looked mockingly at Will, while he descended by rope, as if it had already been decided who would be a loser.

Turner examined the foe, preparing to attack, but Fechter outstripped him. Will dodged skillfully, then started to repel blow after blow. He moved easily and carefully like a twenty-year-old man, but experienced Fechter didn't give up. The rowboat was swinging from side to side, threatening to be turned over. An advantage passed from one to another, neither wanted to surrender.

On the decks of both vessels there were groups of support. The British officers gave tips to Fechter, tried to predict Will's acts. Elizabeth didn't hinder her husband and watched the combat silently, wringing her fingers because of excitement. The crew of _T_ _he Pearl_ also kept their eyes at Will. After all, his victory would be a warranty of their freedom and saving of their life.

In this time the duelists were mowing from one end of the rowboat to other, cleverly defending and striking. At that they changed the roles of attacker and defender very often. The concern of both sides grew.

The mutual exchange of blows didn't have an immediate result. Turner and Fechter, breathing frequently, keenly glanced at each other. Fechter struck first again, but Will knocked out the sword from his hands by one accurate swipe. Shocked and astonished, the officer lost his balance and fell into water. Will stayed in the rowboat and raised his sword up as a winner.

The deafening annoying hubbub rose on _T_ _he Severe_. Through the obscure noise, Richardson's order "Attack the ship" sounded very clearly. The frigate circumvented _T_ _he Black Pearl_ in seconds. Its crew only could turn to the left board when _T_ _he Severe_ had already come closely to it. Grappling hooks from the frigate snagged the gunwale of _The_ _Pearl_. The boarding began.

Will quickly returned on _The_ _Black Pearl_ where everyone armed themselves with swords redardless of their skills. Henry wondered when Elizabeth rejected his suggestion to take a revolver, but gave it to Carina and grabbed a sword. Carina was the one woman with a gun on the ship because Agnes also prepared a sword for fighting.

Everyone froze, waiting for the attack. English officers, gathering on _T_ _he Pearl_ 's deck, waited for the order of their captain.

Richardson went one of the last. He glanced coldly and indifferently at Jack's crew and stopped against Will.

"Well, you are not a simple blacksmith... So I hope your swords will serve us well tonight."

The commandant touched a sharp blade of his sword, smiled and went ahead. Near Will, Elizabeth was standing.

"Still waters run deep, yeah? You are a good example, Mrs. Turner. You know, my soldiers generally spare women. Pray the same fate befalls you."

"I will not even think about it," answered Elizabeth through her teeth. Derek smiled again and looked at ex-lover, standing behind Elizabeth.

"I'll get even with you soon," he said in an icy voice to Agnes.

The commandant stepped on the stairs leading to the afterdeck, turned his head to his soldiers and nodded. The massacre started immediately.

"Remember the glorious times," Will said to Elizabeth. She winked him sadly and stood with her back to him. The soldiers surrounded them instantly. Like many years ago, Will and Elizabeth started to fend off their blows nimbly and deftly.

Henry looked at his mother with admiration. She had absolutely changed. He saw a lot of times how his father fences, he taught him. But it turned out that Elizabeth had been Will's disciple before Henry. She copied her husband's technique and movements. Henry couldn't look away from his parents.

The shot sounded above his head. Disenchanted Henry returned to reality. Here he had to defend himself from two English officers, quickly approaching him. Carina fired a shot and hurt one of them in shoulder. The injured officer leaned on the mast and squeezed the bleeding wound. The second officer still approached Henry, and the young man joined the fight with him.

On the ship's stern, two opponents, Jack and Richardson, were standing. Derek looked at Sparrow, and his face changed. Arrogance and sneer flew away; angry and decisiveness replaced them. The commandant had fallen for the duel with a pirate.

Both of them weren't professional fencers obviously. Jack's forearm was wounded with commandant's sword, the pirate pricked his foe's thigh. However, they went on to fight stubbornly. Sparrow's advantage was dexterity, Richardson's — accuracy. Because of Jack's dexterity, the commandant's sword hadn't yet reached its aim, but it was constantly dangerously close to Jack's body.

Sparrow dodged quickly and bumped against the ship's railing. His compass had torn away from the belt and fell upon the deck. Jack reached out to it, and Richardson used this chance to beat him. Derek employed Will's method and knocked out the sword from pirate's hands. But in other hand Jack held his priceless compass. Meanwhile, the edge of Richardson's sword tickled his throat.

"I see the cat caught the mouse," the commandant laughed triumphantly. "Lose a weapon because of that trifle!" Derek glanced at the compass fleetingly, and Jack saw a change in his severe eyes. The right one became bright-blue instead of dark-brown.

Suddenly, the commandant felt a touch of cold metal back to his neck. He whirled. Agnes stood behind Derek and looked at him, firmly holding in her hand the sword hilt. But when she caught his eye, she flinched and dropped her weapon cowardly.

"How dare you hinder me!" he screamed fiercely and, tossing his sword, lunged towards her. He grabbed her throat and squeezed it powerfully. Agnes's neck could crunch any moment. The girl inhaled air convulsively, wheezed and helplessly resisted Derek.

Jack took Richardson's sword and struck it into his opponents' back. The blade pierced through Derek's body, tore the camisole and the shirt, damaged muscles and bones. Derek even didn't move. Without hesitation, Sparrow struck him a second time. No drops of blood were seen in the wounds. Shocked, Jack stepped back.

Agnes stared at Richardson's multicolored eyes and realized that not Derek, but another person was looking at her now. He was a person with a different character, other feelings, from another time. She unclenched her lips and weakly whispered something. It was someone's name. The commandant heard it and released her right then. Exhausted, Agnes fell upon the deck.

Richardson spooked. He looked at the swords, sticking out from his belly, grabbed the hilts behind his back and pulled out them from his body at once, like they were stuck into a straw sack. Dropping the swords, he ordered to leave the ship.

The swords' clank subsided. The English soldiers took the ropes and got into their vessel. Derek followed their example. The ships were unhooked. _The Severe,_ like a bird, drifted away, leaving the battleground far behind.


	7. Chapter 7

The _Black Pearl_ was at the mercy of the stream. The sails were taken down, and already the ship has wandered in the endless sea without course already for an hour. Jack ordered the crew to clean the vessel properly after the clash with the English ship. Sparrow opened a rum bottle and locked himself in his cabin. Will, Elizabeth and Henry took a breath after the fierce fight and decided to discuss the present situation. Carina refused to take part in this conversation because her _scientific mindset couldn't find an explanation for this devilry_. She said she would like to look after Agnes who didn't recover after meeting with Richardson. Thorn slept in the lower deck, and Carina periodically moistened girl's pale face with water. Others milled about the upper deck.

Elizabeth leaned on the gunwale and watched the restless waves disturbing the calm of the slowly sailing ship. Suddenly, she saw a wooden piece which disappeared over a new wave right then. When the piece jumped up on the wave again, Elizabeth noticed a man clinging on it. Judging by scraps of his red camisole, he was an officer from the _Severe_. The woman called her husband to decide what to do with the poor fellow.

"He could tell us what happened with the frigate," Will said. "If he is still alive, it is necessary to take him on the _Pearl_."

Mrs. Turner screamed to Mr. Gibbs, who was giving commands to diligently working sailors. The First Mate immediately came to her. Elizabeth pointed at the man overboard.

"I can't send people to save him without Jack's permission. You know, he could get mad if we do it without asking him."

Gibbs came to the cabin's door and knocked politely, then entered the room and closed the door. In some minutes the First Mate returned with the captain. A bit drunk, Jack held a revolver in his hand.

"Kill the enemy, and get it over with," he frowned and took aim.

Elizabeth grabbed his hand and said imploringly,

"Jack, he must be taken to the ship! He will be our informant. You want know why the _Severe_ became so fast and why his captain is immortal, don't you?"

Sparrow didn't even move. His finger touched the trigger.

"Jack, you are... you are a good man!"

Jack pretended to be thoughtful and scratched his chin. Elizabeth, that pirate, knew how to melt his heart.

"It will be as you want, darling."

Elizabeth brightened. Mr. Gibbs sent two sailors in the rowboat to the officer. When the wet, shivering, weak man was brought to the ship, Jack grimaced and said disgustedly, "You've decided to save the officer who almost killed your husband? I considered you are more clever than that."

"You had the final say, Jack," Elizabeth noticed and came to the saved man who almost couldn't stand on his feet. The woman looked closely at him and recalled that she had seen him in the fort, but hadn't known his name at that time. The well maintained handsome man, the favorite of women and the companion of all the officers... Nothing now said that it was him. Compassion towards him filled Elizabeth's soul, and she asked him softly, "Mr. Fechter, do you hear me?"

Fechter nodded feebly. The woman paid attention as he held up his right arm which was swollen. When she touched it carefully, the man groaned quietly.

"Let me examine you arm. I'll try to help. Sit down."

The officer sat on the one of the boxes and gave his hand to Elizabeth shyly. She squeezed his forearm cautiously like she was a professional doctor. She had the experience because one time she had worked as a nurse in a hospital. She was familiar with a variety of symptoms.

"You have a fracture, Mr. Fechter. It is necessary to immobilize your arm right now."

"Mrs. Turner... I could have murder your husband, but you are so kind and tender with me," the officer said in a hoarse voice.

"You wouldn't kill him," Elizabeth answered shortly. She was thinking of how to treat the broken arm.

"Do you doubt my fencing skills?" Fechter asked, trying to smile.

"I have no doubt in my husband's skills," Elizabeth replied and looked at her lover with honor. Will smiled widely.

When she finished helping Fechter, some pirates found him an old, holey blanket. The frozen officer covered and felt himself better. Elizabeth asked him hesitantly,

"Mr. Fechter, we guess that something strange happened with the _Severe_ , something... unusual. If you know anything, tell us. We need to know it."

"Strange, unusual?" the officer repeated. "More exactly, awful and terryfying."

"How intriguing!" Jack commented. Fechter didn't pay attention at him; he looked only at Elizabeth. She endeavoured to keep his trust during this conversation.

"Do you remember that morning when Richardson ordered us to arrest you?" he inquired Elizabeth. She nodded. The officer continued, "Did you have time to see a ship? The ghost-vessel near the fort?"

"The _Rosario_?" Henry clarified.

"Hell if I know. I don't care. It is a cursed ship. I saw it from a pier and it scared me, hand on heart. I've never been so afraid as I was in that morning. On the _Severe_ everyone was scared, too. When this ship approached the frigate, our fellows ran away. But Derek appeared on the pier and went to the _Severe_. He threatened sending anyone who ran away to the guillotine. The sailors were confused. But the mysterious vessel had already come to the frigate's stern and passed through it. I saw how everybody on the _Severe_ fell down dead."

"What happened with the commandant?" Will interrupted the sailor.

"The commandant also fell. When we climbed on the ship to remove corpses, we saw him alive. He was unconscious. Our doctor couldn't help him. We had sent for the doctor from London, but Derek got better three days later."

"Where was the _Rosario_?" Sparrow asked.

"It passed through the _Severe_ and disappeared when it had reached the bowsprit. Or it united with the frigate... I don't know. But what happened next... Richardson, threatening to execute us for insubordination, got a crew and declared himself as the captain. Derek became harsher and more ruthless. He tormented the crew as we prepared the ship to sail. When we just went to sea... The _Severe_ sailed with huge speed. I had seen Fort George a second ago but we had already approached Antilles. In this way we caught up your ship."

There was a silence on the _Pearl_. Fechter's story made a stunning impression. All of a sudden, Carina and Agnes appeared on the deck. Agnes didn't look well. She was pale and disheveled. Agnes observed something in the blue expanse of the anxious sea.

"Miss Thorn!" Fechter called to her, and the girl stared at him in astonishment.

"Thomas? Why aren't you on the _Severe_?"

"When I upturned from the water and got to the rowboat, the frigate took the turn, its keel broke the rowboat. I didn't think I would survive. I grasped this piece and tried to scream for help. But none cared about me in this butchery. Then I was brought by the stream here, and Mrs. Turner saved me."

"Fine, well," Agnes mumbled indifferently and sat on the closest box. She squeezed her temples, breathing hardly and brokenly. Elizabeth looked at her with concern, but resolved not to ask her questions. She came to Fechter again and advised him to descend to the lower deck to sleep and recharge.

"Mrs. Turner, I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life," the man said and bowed awkwardly. "But I'm an officer of the English Navy and don't have a right to be on a pirate's vessel. Give me a rowboat, and I'll float away as soon as possible."

"What are you talking about?! You have a fracture, you'll not be able to hold an oar. If you have only one, you will get to the sea bottom very soon," Elizabeth said strictly. "It is out of the question. Go down to the lower deck."

"Promise to drop me off on the nearest island," Thomas asked.

"Even if it is be a bare rock or swarming with cannibals?" Jack inquired with smirk.

"At your discretion... Captain," Fechter said obediently.

* * *

A few clouds started to turn into dark terrible ones. They hung over the sea and threatened to mix rough rain streams with waves. As soon as the first small drops had fallen from the sky, Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Henry, Carina and Agnes hid in the captain's cabin. Henry burned candles, and the room became lighter and cozier. Will retold his daughter-in-law and Miss Thorn everything he had heard from Fechter.

"I'm refusing to understand it. I'll just keep it in my mind," Carina said and crossed her arms on her chest. "Though I saw a ship with dead crew, visited Poseidon's underwater treasury, and my husband's father is an immortal captain of the cursed ship, I wonder once again what happens in these seas."

"Do you know a story of the _Rosario_?" Agnes asked, passing her hand above the candle's flame. Nobody said yes.

"Some years ago I got into a prison. In the closest cell, one pirate waited for execution. My single amusement was listening to his lisping voice telling sea legends. He spoke about Davy Jones, then about cursed treasures, then about famous pirates. Often I heard from him your name, Jack," she told with a slight smile. "This pirate saw the _Rosario_ with his own eyes. He saw how it killed a whole crew of a one huge vessel. He was a kid in that time, and an old and experienced sailor, who had learnt about the _Rosario_ from his father, told him everything he knew about it. So, the pirate told me this story."

"What's the story? Tell us soon," Elizabeth exclaimed.

"The _Rosario_ was a normal ship, and its last mission was transporting of the Spanish feudal's treasures. But during the voyage, sea raiders attacked the vessel. They couldn't seize the ship and steal riches, but captured the old captain. His son was on the Rosario, and the raiders' captain brought him a map which pointed the way to innumerable treasures. The rogue promised to set the captive free if his son would find these treasures and give it to him. The young captain got a week to do it. This map led the vessel to sea guards — Scilla and Charybdis."

"They keep a treasury for all the sea gods, don't they?" Will remembered.

"Yes. Scilla and Charybdis allowed him to come into the treasury and take everything he needed to rescue his father. But there were some things in the treasury that he was forbidden to pick up. The guards warned the captain about it. But he disobeyed. He took a container with amrita — the liquor which grants immortality. The captain was going to drink it, kill all the rogues and save his father. He also wanted to return the treasures to Scilla and Charybdis afterwards. But when he reached the island that had been chosen as a meeting place, he found there only a mutilated body of his father. Sea raiders deceived him. But he had already drunk the liquor...

Scilla and Charybdis noticed that the amrita had disappeared. The guards were extremely angry and went to find a robber. When they overtook the _Rosario_ , Scilla turned it into the stone rock, and Charybdis stayed beside it as a huge whirlpool to watch it and not let to escape from the eternal prison.

Till now I've thought it is a tale. But after seeing this ship with my own eyes I've understood that it is the truth."

"It means the _Rosario_ , captained by his immortal captain, has been set free. For the second time," Will said and sighed deeply.

"The ghost of the ship moved in the ship, the ghost of the captain — in the captain," Carina uttered suddenly. "It is, erm, logical, and explains everything. The _Severe_ became a ghost vessel and Richardson became immortal."

"So why did they attack us if in commandant's body there is the soul of the captain of the _Rosario_? What could he know about us? Something is wrong," Henry noticed inconsistency.

"May be there are two souls in his body now?" Carina continued to think. Her thoughts and words puzzled her more and more. "They fight, and depending on who wins, we see the commandant Richardson or the captain of the _Rosario_."

"But you've said that the scientific mindset couldn't find the answer," Elizabeth smiled. Carina just shrugged. No one said anything more. It was so silent that everyone could hear how rain drops were drumming on the ship. Monotonous sound calmed and woke up a weariness. Henry yawned, and others felt they wanted to sleep. The day was very full. Will offered that they rest and continue the discussion in the morning with a fresh mind. When the rain decreased a bit, Turners went away from the cabin. Agnes stayed with Jack.

"You are unusually speechless tonight," the girl said, coming to his back and putting her hands on his shoulders. "Almost no words for the last two hours. I'll begin to think someone moved in you, too."

"No, darling. How can I allow it?" Jack answered, leaning at the chair back. Agnes touched his chest softly and put her head on his shoulder.

"So what's wrong?"

"I have some questions which are haunting my non-academic intellect a lot," Sparrow said, removing her hands. "First, why the colour of the commandant's eyes changed? Second, what did you say to him when he almost strangled you? Third, why did he leave my ship after it? Would you care to reply? At least to the question number two."

"I've said nothing to him, Jack," Agnes declared.

"Think you could cheat me, baby? It won't work. I've seen that only one word was uttered with your blue lips, and he released you right then. Sometimes seems I'm a fool, but here," – Jack knocked with his finger on his skull – "here occasionally there are great thoughts and guesses. So today you have a good chance not to make me think that you are a deceitful riffraff with an insidious purpose coming on my vessel."

"Everything that seemed to you, Jack, is your problem. I don't care what you will think about it. I don't going to deny my words. If you wish, I can drop off on the nearest island with Fechter."

"You decided to tag with along him?"

Agnes replied nothing. She glanced at Jack with dislike; her figure hid in the dark; then she went out, loudly slamming the door. Sparrow yawned, quickly turned off the lights and fell asleep.


End file.
